SHAWN | MISSOURI

“I have always dreamed of being a father. I dreamed of seeing my child’s first steps, his first words, and of course the first time he would say ‘dada’. Unfortunately, I missed all of those firsts for my son, Gordon.

After noticing our baby was favoring one arm, his mother and I did what any concerned parents would do, we sought medical care for him.

Long story short, after full body scans were done, Gordon was found to have multiple fractures in various stages of healing. Gordon’s mother and I were charged and arrested one month later.

For the last 3 years I’ve had to fight the good fight against these false allegations. This fight has drained me financially, spiritually, and worst of all hast cost me the one thing in this life I would protect with anything: my son.

I remember distinctly my wife asking for more testing to be done. We were told testing would be done. It wasn’t. The doctors at our accusing children’s hospital could have consulted an endocrinologist. They didn’t. They could have tested my son for genetics to rule that out. They didn’t. They could have done a DEXA scan to look at bone density. They didn’t. They could have consulted a specialist in bone disease. They didn’t. They even acknowledged bone disease was possible, but they didn’t do the testing.

Although it’s important to realize what wasn’t done, it’s also important to look at what WAS testified to by almost every doctor: no bruising, no bone displacement, no signs of pain. My son never exhibited any sign of having these fractures.

I attended parenting classes, sought counseling, and did everything else CPS told me to do to earn the privilege of being back in Gordon’s life. My wife and I started scouring the nation for second opinions. I eventually got answers from doctors which lead to supervised visits in which I never missed one.

Several experts have unanimously agreed on diagnoses for Gordon of metabolic bone disease, infantile rickets, and Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. These experts include an endocrinologist, pediatric orthopedic surgeon, radiologist, and a genetic specialist.

Recently, Gordon has re-fractured. This prompted more visits to a specialist where they confirmed the above diagnoses. Gordon is currently being treated and managed for the conditions he was diagnosed with.

In 2023, my wife and I were both convicted in a criminal trial, however the judge acquitted my wife entirely at sentencing. I was granted an extremely rare Appeals Bond. This allows me to stay out of prison until the appeals court decides on the case.

I fervently believe that conclusions unsupported by data misled a jury of my peers. My accusers didn’t pursue to eliminate medical conditions for my son which should have been their first priority. If this standard of “we accuse, you lose” continues, we will continue to allow science to be manipulated in ways that lead to false convictions.

Thank you to the ones who have stood behind me and who have never batted an eye in the wake of this crisis and who have offered support from day one.

Please help share our story. The more we get my family’s story out, the more we push it in the media, the truth will reign!

I will end my story with words from my testimony at sentencing:

…I’m asking this court to understand that as a father I have done all I can. However, the one person who loses the most isn’t me, judge, the one who loses is Gordon, my son. Through no fault of my son, he has endured losing two parents that love him. Judge, I believe you have the power to do what is best for Gordon. I believe what’s best for Gordon is not his parents in prison. Gordon and I have developed a close bond. We are so close now that he asks for me on a daily basis, is always asking me to play with him, and any time I have to leave he begs for me to not go. He enjoys fishing, playing hot wheels, rides in his jeep, pretend rodeo. He loves superheroes and he loves to play outside. He loves being home most of all. I am grateful to have gotten to develop this relationship and I am begging you to not take this away and to allow me to continue growing our bond. Look at all the facts and I will respect whatever you decide. I will leave you with Gordon’s final words as he was being taken to daycare this morning, ‘Daddy, after court – you gonna play race cars with me? You’re coming home right?!’”